Kundan, a wealthy coffee estate owner, lived peacefully in the lush hills of Wayanad, Kerala. His estate spanned acres of coffee plants, with the air filled with the scent of ripe beans. Kundan loved his animals—a cow, chickens, and his elephant, Bhanu. Bhanu wasn’t just any elephant; he had been with Kundan since childhood. Together, they formed an inseparable bond, with Bhanu helping Kundan carry heavy coffee sacks. It seemed normal, but elephants belong in the wild.
Life on the estate was predictable until one morning, tension struck. The newspaper headline read: “Elephant Electrocuted and Buried by Officials in Wayanad: Two Arrested.” Kundan's heart raced. The distant power lines near the hills now seemed menacing, and Bhanu's life was in danger.
Human-wildlife conflicts were on the rise in Wayanad, and Kundan’s choice to keep Bhanu was questioned by Suresh, a fiery activist. At a community meeting, Suresh confronted Kundan. “You may love Bhanu, but elephants need the wild. They’re not meant for captivity.”
Kundan dismissed Suresh’s concerns, convinced that no one could understand the bond he shared with Bhanu. But Suresh’s words stayed with him, planting seeds of doubt. Something was brewing.
One evening, chaos erupted. Bhanu had wandered off the estate and trampled the village's paddy fields, causing immense damage. Furious, the villagers confronted Kundan. “This can’t continue!” one farmer yelled. “We respect you, but Bhanu needs to be in the wild.”
The villagers’ anger was palpable. Even Suresh stood in silence, watching as his warning became reality. The village that once revered Kundan had turned on him.
Kundan felt trapped. Rumors spread that the authorities might intervene, and Bhanu’s future seemed grim. He had to act, or risk further conflict. The tension was unbearable.
With a heavy heart, Kundan made a gut-wrenching decision. Bhanu needed to be set free. He contacted forest officials to arrange Bhanu’s relocation to a wildlife reserve. It was his only choice, but the hardest he ever made. Kundan checked out the reserve forest and saw a herd of elephants gracefully playing with each other in the nearby rivulet. He got to witness a loud trumpeting sound of the matriarch, leading the herd to the core forest. It was like a preview of leaving Bhanu in the forest.
On the day of Bhanu’s departure, the village gathered. Tears filled Kundan’s eyes as he walked beside Bhanu. The suspense was thick—would Bhanu adjust to the wild? Would the villagers forgive him? He got a call from the wildlife department in Wayanad, instructing him to release Bhanu after complaints from villagers and the fact that using elephants on estates was not an ethical practice/
As Bhanu disappeared into the forest, Kundan felt both a deep loss and relief. The immediate tension had eased, but the uncertainty lingered. What lay ahead for Kundan, Bhanu, and the village remained unknown. Only time would tell.